An example of a conventional oil surface procedure for flow testing is the Drill Stem Test (DST). In this type of flow testing, the productive capacity, pressure, permeability or extent of an oil or gas reservoir is determined. DST testing is essentially a flow test, which is performed on isolated formations of interest to determine the fluid present and the rate at which they can be produced. Typical DST consists of several flow and shut in (or pressure buildup) periods, during which reservoir data is recorded.
Alternatives to the oil surface procedure for flow testing exist, but have their own inherent disadvantages or shortcomings. For example, coring and open hole wireline formation testing are known, but these methods sample a very small reservoir volume which often yields insufficient or incomplete results. Additionally, injection flow testing has been explored for water injection into water flooded oil reservoirs.